Any advice to a first time 'preacher'?

[nytxn1971]

Well... I've been asked to preach at the local SMART program this Saturday night (August 16th), to fill in for a brother who has to preach in Uvalde that night.

I've never written a sermon before, (however, I've written a few bible studies) and I sure have never preached one...

Does anyone have any advice for this first time 'preacher'?
I'm a bit nervous, and a bit excited.

(by the way, I also get to baptize someone! My first baptism candidate!)

[nytxn1971]

None of you preachers have any advice to give, eh?

[jdcord]

Pray?


*LOL*

Like I told ya in my PM, write everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) down in your notes. Write them down as if you were writing a tract or booklet. That way, you won't freeze up wondering what comes next in the message. And also, if you get really nervous, it's all written down for you, word for word, exactly how you want to say it. It's better to read your whole "first sermon EVER", than to freeze up and not know what to say.

Of course, hopefully, you won't experience either of those two extremes. But it's best to prepared, just in case.

[nytxn1971]

*cough*
Um... I don't *cough* think that's exactly *cough* what you said in PM, however, you did elaborate and expound here on what you said in PM. ;)

I was hoping to get more than one response, considering there's a lot of preachers on here.
;)

Pro 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

Pro 24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

[Felicity]

I hardly ever check this section out. Perhaps it's the same with others and that's why the response is slow.

Here's some of my advice. I already shared #3 with you.


1. Look at the people when you talk to them.

2. Don't wander around a lot - it's hard on the neck trying to follow someone who does that. *g*

3. Be yourself. Don't try to copy Billy Graham or Creflo Dollar. ;)

4. Keep an eye on the clock or your watch if you're not too nervous to actually be able to see it and if you can remember to look. Haha! *w*

5. Speak from your heart. Be sincere and honest.

6. Remember that you have the power of the Holy Ghost in you. You have the anointing of the Holy One. He will help you if you lean on Him.

7. Be confident in HIM!

This is just the beginning Ron. I'm proud of you! :)

[jdcord]

Perhaps this would be a good time to go over the all-time horror stories of first time sermons?

Ya think?

*ROFL*

[jdcord]

Ok, ok. *sigh*

I'll play "nice".


1. As I've said already, write everything down, in case you do get really nervous, but mostly as helpful prompts when you forget where you need to go next.

2. Pray ..... A LOT ...... in the days, hours, and minutes before you preach.

3. Don't say "Hallelujah" and/or "Amen" after every comment. That is a clear sign of nervousness. And "ummmmm" is also not a good "filler" in between your comments. A few seconds of silence won't kill the move of the Spirit. Relax.

4. Have the scriptures you are going to use printed out in your outline (notes) at the proper part of the message where you will be reading them. That way, you don't fumble around in your Bible, nervously searching for those scriptures.

Gotta go now, but if I'll be back. Later.

[Felicity]

;) at Jd! Hey...this is serious business you know. We've got to help our friend out here. *g*

Having what you want to say all typed or written out and reading it is not a bad idea. The only problem is that if you're nervous and you wander away from your notes a bit.....it might be hard to find where you left off. Nervousness can cause all sorts of problems.

Learning to follow notes and or an outline when you're nervous takes practice. You look at your notes, but don't really "see" them. At least - it's happened to me.

I just have a feeling though Ron......that you're going to do just fine. I think you're going to handle yourself real well and that the Holy Ghost is going to shine and radiate through your life and your words. They'll never know it's your first time to speak to a group in this manner. You'll see. :)

That's what I'm gonna be praying and believing for anyhow.

Praying is a given - we have to rely on the Holy Spirit - but you already have the anointing of God resting on you and IN you.

I love this scripture in 1 John 2:27......

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

"ABIDETH IN YOU" means that the anointing never leaves! It's always there. We just don't always recognize that or "tap into" the never ending supply. That's a very comforting thought I think and helps to square your shoulders back, stand tall and straight and not be afraid of nuthin' or nobody. LOL! Seriously though.....we just don't always realize and remember the power that we have working in us.

God is AWESOME and you're going to do fine Ron. I just feel a witness of the Holy Ghost right now. Believe it bro. :)

[tufluv]

Well, just don't take it so serious! (although it is) I mean, relax, and think of how wonderful JESUS is, if all else fails, just talk about HIM! lol
I don't know what the topic, theme or scripture is you're gonna preach on...and BTW, are you gonna be a minister? Or are you now one? Something I have not known for sure.
For I thought only a minister can baptize someone, maybe you are one, and I never knew it! lol Or perhaps a deacon?
If this is being too nosy, don't feel you have to reply, just curious.

[BroRutledge]

Just be yourself, and let God use you.

God bless
BroRutledge

[AnointedByHim]

Pray and if you're anointed to preach, then the congregates will know it. The anointing is what God uses to someone who is not an eloquent speaker. You can also fast to make sure you have all the bases covered. When I did my first sermon, the anointing was flowing and it just came out of me like a flood. I said, "WOW!!!!". I didn't have any notes or anything and you should let the Lord to lead you and ask Him what He wants you to preach about. You can never go wrong with the Lord's leading.

[Whosoever Will]

"Just be yourself, and let God use you."

That's the best advice given so far. I write down scripture references and notes, but I go off in the direction I feel the spirit leading me, regardless of what my notes say. Don't be afraid to follow the spirit and leave your notes all together, if the annointing is leading you in a different direction. God will surprise you on occasion. Sometimes I preach exactly what's in my notes, and sometimes I preach whatever I feel led to.

God bless your ministry, and be sure to baptize them in Jesus name.;) :bow:

[nytxn1971]

Well... I *thought* I had my sermon title picked out, but I guess I may have not... either that or it's a sermon that I'll need to work on for a later date. The old one was called "The God of Second Chances".

I felt like the Lord really gave me something I could sink my teeth into this morning... something that will minister to the folks I'll be speaking with (most of which have been baptized in Jesus' name AND have the Holy Ghost - I praise God for that in a prison ministry)... as well as myself. I've heard it said that some of the best messages from the best preachers were when they preached to themselves as well as the congregation. This one is called "A House Made of Thoughts".

I've been meditating on it and thinking about it most of the morning so far and I already have about two pages of notes. I have to train myself to write a good thought down as soon as it enters my thick head.

I see one lay preacher in our church that is constantly walking around with a notebook, and he is writing stuff in it a lot... even when there's no preaching going on. That tells me he's writing thoughts down as they come to him... I need to do that too.

Thanks for all the encouragement, folks. I appreciate it.
Please remember to keep me in your prayers.

Phi 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

[ddc101]

pray until your knees hurt and your jaw is sore from talking in tongues.Then possibly you are prepared to yield.If you can't bend your knees in prayer and yield your tongue to God then pack it up and sell vaccums.lv sis.c

[Felicity]

Ron.......
How much time will you have?

[nytxn1971]

Service usually lasts about an hour.

I'll have about a half hour to forty-five minutes to speak. I need to baptize someone too, so I'll need to cut it a little short to fit that in.

[ddc101]

Just remember Jesus wants to speak...not Ron.lv sis.c

[nytxn1971]

ddc... I understand that completely... And to be honest, I'm afraid of getting in the way. Hence... the reason for this thread... requesting advice in how to avoid getting in God's way...

[ddc101]

no Ron you do not understand that completely there is no way a novice could.But somewhere down the road you will remember what I told you and it will help you.Twenty years ago I might have given the same answer but I have learned that just when we think we know something Jesus proves to us that we are nothing and that we know nothing.Get to the place where nothing matters to you anymore.Where money,postion,opinion,
possessions,home,family etc are meaningless unless you do the will of God.Be willing to give all and go anywhere and do anything.
You may think you feel this way now but wait.Speaking over a pulpit is edifying for the congregation not the speaker....hopefully.
lv sis.c

[nytxn1971]

*sigh*

Well... ddc... I guess I need to just wait until I'm spiritual to begin my 'career' in the ministry...

[jdcord]

I look at it this way. If when God had given a word to Isaiah, and he wrote it down, and then later on he read to others, or preached it to others from his notes, did that make it any less God that gave the message?

If God gives you a message, and you relate that message to the congregation to the best of your ability, it is still God's message. It is still He that spoke it, not you.

We may be the physical messengers, but we are not the message giver - God is.

[ddc101]

Ron....thats the thing...its not a career and yes you need to get spiritual we all do.Consider that no one is perfact but its when we realize that in our imperfections he is made strong.All you are is a mouthpiece and the sooner you realize that the better.I hope you never get professional and God can always use you.In fact guard against it.If God has more for you in this area guard your soul because people will come to you and try and pat you on the back and make you feel like somebody.Just remember you are a nobody and Jesus is all in all and you will be okay.lv sis.c

[nytxn1971]

Amen, jd.

[nytxn1971]

Originally posted by ddc101
Ron....thats the thing...its not a career
Notice career is in 'quotes'...
I know it's not a career, ddc. It's a ministry and a calling.

Originally posted by ddc101
and yes you need to get spiritual we all do.
Correct... ALL of us are being led and guided into all truth by the Holy Ghost. All of us only see as a through a dark glass.

Originally posted by ddc101
All you are is a mouthpiece and the sooner you realize that the better.
As I said, I understand that. However, you told me I don't understand it, because you didn't understand it 20 years ago. I'm not the same person you are, nor am I the same person you were 20 years ago. Isn't it quite possible I might 'get' something you didn't 20 years ago? ;)

Originally posted by ddc101
I hope you never get professional...
I sure doubt that I will. I get so nervous when I stand in front of folks (some times... even just one person) to speak that I can barely breathe...

Originally posted by ddc101
If God has more for you in this area guard your soul because people will come to you and try and pat you on the back and make you feel like somebody.Just remember you are a nobody and Jesus is all in all and you will be okay.lv sis.c

I understand completely that I am nobody... that is, without Him. With Him, I AM somebody.

[JSP]

Ron,

Take it from a preacher of almost 30 years.

Pray in trhe spirit for a couple of hours and God will give you the thought needed for that service while you are praying.

When you capture that thought while in prayer stay with it and see which way God wants you to go with it.

The key is PRAYER.

jsp

[nytxn1971]

Understood, JSP. Prayer is a given.
:)

[Felicity]

I don't know how I did it, but I posted this in the wrong thread. I meant for it to go in this thread. :rolleyes: at self. *g*

Well Ron.......you did ask for advice. ;)

Most of us are still learning.

[AnointedByHim]

Originally posted by nytxn1971
I see one lay preacher in our church that is constantly walking around with a notebook, and he is writing stuff in it a lot... even when there's no preaching going on. That tells me he's writing thoughts down as they come to him... I need to do that too.

Thanks for all the encouragement, folks. I appreciate it.
Please remember to keep me in your prayers.

Phi 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Brother,

I have been told to carry a notebook around when I first started preaching and it is one of the best pieces of advice that I received. It is something that you should do also and it will help you greatly in your preaching.

[Pastor D]

Praise the Lord Ron:
I am excited about you having the opportunity to minister. I am sure God has opened this door so that He can maninfest Himself through you. In that vein, I have a few words of advice to offer. First, remember that you are feeding God's people and those He is trying to draw to Him. Thus, since He is God, He knows what they need to hear. Ask Him to give you what to say. He will give you the thought that will bless the hearers.

Second, study, study, study. You want your message to be bible-based and sound in scripture. You want your audience to be blessed with the information and insight you will share from the scripture.

Third, organize your thoughts. Most good messages have three things in common--a beginning, a middle and an end. Deliver the message, don't feel like you have to fill the whole time alloted. Most beginning preachers tend to be brief and those who are not brief tend to ramble through their message.

Fourth, be confident in the authority of the scripture and God. Allow Him to flow through your message.

Finally, Bishop RC Lawson, one to the early fathers of the oneness movement in America, a son of GT Haywood and founder of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ offered this advice, study yourself full, pray yourself empty and trust God to brinig it back.

[nytxn1971]

Good advice, pastor D.

I covet your prayers.

[Adoniyah]

I posted this first on another thread. I feel that it would fit here.

There is one thing that I would like to underscore that is so much lacking in our Apostolic ranks. It is the Father/Son principle of relationship.

Every budding preacher needs a man of God that he can look up to as his Spiritual Father in ministry. I would highly, highly reccommend "Ye Have Not Many Fathers" written by Mark Hanby.

I will not take the time to quote the book here, but I do not know of anything that is more needed that this in ministry. After you read this very scriptural book, you sill see how vital is that mentoring relationship to a minister that should last until the death of the other.

Any young minister that feels he has been called to ministry, should have a mentor/father to whom he can submit and learn, finding comfort, advice, guidance, encouragement, help and yes, even anointing.

Beside the call, there is little else any more important. Get the

[stmatthew]

Bro Ron,

Did you preach yet??? How was it??

[Son of Thunder]

Ron - if I may offer this - my 'tidbit' here is not to forget to 'minister'. There is preaching that preaches and there is preaching that ministers. Different things. Best wishes,

S.O.T.

[SisClarissa]

Hello! The help you need should come from God only.
I can only say that brother you need to go before the Lord and pray untell you are praying in the spirit. Annointing comes from the Lord and God is the only one who can call a person to preach. If it is from God, He will do the preaching for you and through you.
Then you will have nothing to worrie about.
When God is done you will know.
God bless
Sister Clarissa
Love In Christ Jesus~

[Norman]

So how did it go?
If you don't think you did well, that's about average for first time preachers that I have know; but it was probably better than you think.
I have heard my son go a full 30 minutes many times at a nursing home, but at church he usually doesn't go over 15 or 20 minutes and I think that is because he is more tense, but sometimes sermons that last 45 minutes could be condensed to 20 without losing any substance.

[nytxn1971]

Sorry, y'all, I never got back to you on this...

The message was about our thought life and how it affects the way we see the world around us, the people around us, ourselves, and, most importantly, God. (kinda in line with your signature, Brother Burdette: "To small minded men, God gives small things")

I hate speaking in front of people because I get so nervous. I looked up from my notes a few times, but I don't feel comfortable enough yet to walk away from them and just 'talk'. Someday, I will, but not yet.

No one fell asleep. A few actually came up to me and told me it was what the folks in the program needed to hear.

About a week and a half later, I had to fill in for Bro. Edelton who teaches the bible study there on Tuesday nights. I had notes on God's faithfulness, but God led the bible study in a different direction. I ended up just being there to encourage them to keep seeking Him and to minister to them in their daily struggles with staying clean.

[Pastor D]

Brother Ron:
It sounds like you had a good start. Continue to embrace every opportunity to minister. The Lord called me to preach soon after I was saved at the age of nine. I began actually speaking to audiences at eleven. At first I was a novelty--a boy preacher. When the novelty wore off, sometimes the invitations and opportunities were scarce. Outside of my church, I was mainly invited to smaller churches who wanted me to come and encourage the youth of the church. I embraced every appointment as a sacred charge. When I was in NY as a teenager, our church was and is very large, (about 2500 members). The pulpit was filled with preachers so I had no opportunity in the church. My chance came with the outreach teams that went throughout the street corners, parks and neighborhoods of the city. I preached in Harlem, on 42nd St., etc. People listened and some were baptized. This experience is still part of my ministry philosophy--preach anywhere and everywhere God opens a door. Although I am a pastor and I am blessed to preach in conventions, conference and revivals across the country and overseas, I will still go to a community building, jail, resthome, living room or anywhere that God opens a door. These are the settings that helped me develop my love for the ministry and my love for souls. If you have one souls to reach that is all you need to preach.

Be blessed.
Pastor D

[nytxn1971]

Pastor D,

Thank you so much for the encouragement.
You're a blessing walking in flesh.

[nytxn1971]

By the way, Adoniyah, I did pick up that book "You Have Not Many Fathers".

I'm still reading it, but I'm close to finishing it. It's a blessing.
I'm praying God puts me under the wing of a spiritual father.

[Cherokee]

Bro. Ron...
I can only encourage you to preach the burden God has placed in your heart for Him.
He desires His ministers to allow Him to speak and move through them.
the Holy Ghost anointing will come as you simply yield your thoughts and motives to Him.
It is good to keep a note pad handy or a small pocket tape recorder as God will visit you sometimes when you least expect it and He will give you a thought that you may not even think goes with a few other thoughts He sends but somewhere down the line God will use it to reach a soul for His Word will never return void.

The scripture says to Study (which you have been doing every time you read the Word or article or think upon Him) on a daily basis and then as thoughts or images are given to you along the way in preparation for presentation all the study of the past comes in play. And then the other part of the scripture says, to shew thyself approved unto God, a workmen that needeth not to be ashamed...rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

I have prepared what I felt God was leading me to preach/teach and then have Him completely go another way as He did the leading. I did not throw the notes away though because somewhere down the line God will use the message or part of the message when He desires.

Feel after His Spirit before hand and during delivery and don't try to copy someone else's anointing and style of delivery because God is creating in you what He desires.

Please don't get discouraged, pray and try again. It will come as He leads and you learn to submit to Him.

Keep an humble spirit always, expect God to honor His Word.

Just always remember, If the message doesn't convince,convict, and move you it probably won't move anyone else either. Look across the cogregation and into the eyes of those that are pulling in your words and thoughts for God will be reaching out to them also.

Just my thoughts on the matter and I will be praying for you for God is looking for men that will humble themselves and seek His face and find His heartbeat.

Love Ya' in Jesus!!! Cherokee

[nytxn1971]

Thanks so much, Sis. Dever.
You are appreciated.

[Minister C]

I'm new to the board, and I really appreciate the suggestions given. Pastor D, I really like your posts and the advice you've given. I just passed the first year of ministry, and it's been one of the most interesting years of my life. Ministry is rewarding and challenging. You better believe that Satan will try to stop the truth of God's word at all costs, but we must stand for the truth and continue steadfast in the Apostle's doctrine. My short experience with preaching has been to preach what God gives you via studying and meditating on the Word. It's amazing how God will open something up in your heart to give to the people he blesses you to minister to. Of course I'm still young and growing, but in this short time I've learned not to value technique, but to have a desire to hear what the Spirit is saying.


Pastor D, you mentioned Bishop R.C. Lawson, I read a biograpy of him, and it's amazing what God can do through and individual. I'm not affiliated with that organization, but I've always cherished it, and read that biography as a testimony to what God can do.

God Bless

[Grace]

You have had much good advice, I'll add mine for my first sermon was in 1972
I tried it all looking at the people is fine, I was too over whelmed too look at them the first time, I can look em in the eye now, I must tell you , fast, seek God, he may change the message at the last min Follow the spirit.
I preached the devil out of the back wall of the church that's where I looked then, two posts got saved as well as the back wall. Lol
No one can really tell you, seek God, live holy, let the Lord lead ya. Grace